Student Privacy: FERPA

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day Wongu University of Oriental Medicine receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Registrar written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Registrar will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the Registrar, the Registrar shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA. Students may ask Wongu University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write Wongu University’s official who is responsible for the record, clearly identifying the part of the record they want to be changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If Wongu University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, Wongu University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for the amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to provide written consent before the university discloses personally identifiable information from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

The school discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by Wongu University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of Wongu University who provides an institutional service or function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of personally identifiable information from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for Wongu University.

Wongu University may also disclose student’s education records, without the consent of the student, in certain other circumstances, including:

• to comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena;
• to appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency;
• to officials of another school, upon request, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll;
• in connection with a student’s request for or receipt of financial aid, as necessary to determine the eligibility, amount, or conditions of the financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid;
• to certain officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General, to state and local educational authorities, in connection with certain state or federally supported education programs;
• to accrediting organizations to carry out their functions;
• to organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of Wongu University;
• to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
• Information the school has designated as “directory information”.

FERPA permits the disclosure of designated “directory information” without a student’s written consent unless a student provides written notification to the Registrar that he or she does not want “directory information” released. Wongu University designates the following as public or “directory information”: student’s name, campus, enrollment status, class level, enrollment dates, and degree received.

A student who wishes to allow another person, such as a parent or spouse, to have continuous access to the student’s educational records must make written notification to the Registrar. Once filed, this request becomes a permanent part of the student’s record until the student instructs Wongu University, in writing, to have the request removed.

The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Wongu University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue,
SW Washington, DC 20202

RETENTION OF STUDENT RECORDS

Wongu University maintains a thorough and accurate system for entering, storing, updating, reporting, and securing data on student records. Each student’s progress is carefully updated to ensure that an accurate and complete record of their academic program becomes a part of their permanent record. Current student records and transcripts are stored for ten years on campus in secure filing cabinets. Academic records for each student are also maintained in a computer database.